Creating a Hotspot that Opens a Web Page

  • 7021512
  • 13-Nov-2008
  • 27-Oct-2020

Environment

Reflection Desktop (including Pro, for X, for IBM, or for UNIX and OpenVMS) 16.0 and higher
Reflection Pro 2014
Reflection for IBM 2014
Reflection for IBM 2011
Reflection for UNIX and OpenVMS 2014
Reflection for UNIX and OpenVMS 2011
Reflection for UNIX and OpenVMS 2008
Reflection Standard Suite 2011

Situation

This technical note outlines the steps to create a hotspot in Reflection Desktop, Reflection 2014, or Reflection 2011 that opens a web page for a specified URL.

Resolution

Using Hotspots

A hotspots file enables you to interact with your terminal session by using the mouse instead of the keyboard. Each new terminal session includes a pointer to a default, built-in hotspots file. You can choose a different hotspots file for each session, and you can create custom hotspots files with the settings you prefer.

Typically, clicking a hotspot transmits a terminal key or command to the host, but you can also configure hotspots to open a web page, launch a macro, or perform a variety of other actions.

Creating a Hotspot to Open a Web Page

You can create a hotspot that opens a particular URL with an exact match or a variable match. An exact match configuration assigns one specific URL to the designated hotspot text. A variable match configuration enables a generic hotspot to open more than one URL, depending on the text that follows the hotspot text. (Examples follow.)

Enable Hotspots

Before setting an exact or variable matching configuration, first enable the hotspot feature and decide how you want to activate the hotspot.

  1. In Reflection, open a terminal session and log on.
  2. On the Appearance tab, click Hotspots (in the ribbon).
  3. On the Set Up Hotspot Display Settings screen:
    1. Click the check box to Enable all defined hotspots, and select a hotspot style (Button, Outline rectangle, or Not visible).
    2. Select how you want the hotspot to be activated. For example, clear the Double-click check box to open the hotspot with a single left-click.
    3. Near the bottom of the left navigation bar, click Manage Hotspots.
  4. On the Manage Hotspots screen, note the Currently selected file. Click Create a new hotspots file from an existing hotspots file.
  5. On the Create a New Hotspots File screen:
    1. Click the Custom option.
    2. Select a file. You can choose one of the defaults.
    3. Check the box to Use the new file in the current session document. (This setting makes the new hotspots file available in the current terminal session.)
    4. Click OK to open the Modify Hotspots screen.

Continue with the steps to Configure an Exact-Match Hotspot or to Configure a Variable-Match Hotspot.

Configure an Exact-Match Hotspot

An exact match configuration assigns one specific URL to the designated hotspot text. Using this feature, you can configure a hotspot to open your company’s intranet Help Desk web page or another helpful web site.

Follow the steps below to create a hotspot that maps the word Main to the Micro Focus Support web site.

  1. On the Modify Hotspots screen, in the Hotspot text field, enter main.
  2. In the Select Action drop-down menu, select Open URL.
  3. In the URL field, enter https://support.microfocus.com
  4. Select how you want the web page to open, such as in a default browser. Click OK.
  5. In the Hotspot Mapper list, select the Hotspot text, main. Click Modify.
  6. On the Hotspot Options screen:
    1. Verify that the hotspot text is entered correctly. Keep the default check boxes selected. Click OK.
    2. Click OK again to exit the Modify Hotspots screen.
  7. When prompted, enter a File name and save the hotspot file.
    1. On the Manage Hotspots screen, note the Currently selected file.
If it is not the file you just saved, click Select another hotspots file. On the Select a Hotspots File screen, click Custom, and then select the file you saved.
    1. Click OK; click OK again to exit the Manage Hotspots screen.
  1. Save the session document to preserve the hotspots file configuration.
  2. In the Reflection workspace, test the hotspot you just created.
    1. Find or type the word Main.
    2. Depending on how you configured the hotspot, click or double-click the highlighted text, Main.
    3. The web site, support.microfocus.com, should open in a new web page.

Note: In IBM terminal 3270 and 5250 sessions, hotspots are matched only in protected fields that the user cannot edit. To test the hotspot, you could send a message that includes the hotspot text (main) in the message. The hotspot text is highlighted in the displayed message. Click the text to open the web page for Micro Focus Support.

Configure a Variable-Match Hotspot

A variable-match hotspot recognizes common text in a string or phrase as an exact match. The remaining (variable) text in the string or phrase defines the exact action that will be performed, such as opening a specific URL.

For example, to create one hotspot that is capable of opening different web pages, configure a hotspot that recognizes http:// as the opening syntax of a URL. The remaining (variable) text of the URL defines which web page will open. After you type in a full URL, and click the http:// hotspot, the specific web page for that URL opens. Type a different URL, click the hotspot, and a different web page opens.

Follow this example to configure a variable-match hotspot:

  1. On the Modify Hotspots screen, in the Hotspot text field, enter http://
  2. In the Select Action drop-down menu, select Open URL.
  3. Select the check box to Use matched hotspot text for the URL. (Note: the URL field becomes unavailable.)
  4. Select how you want the web page to open, such as in a default browser. Click OK.
  5. In the Hotspot Mapper list, select the Hotspot text, http://. Click Modify.
  6. In the Hotspot Options screen, select the check box to Match until a delimiter.
  7. Verify that the Space delimiter is checked. Click OK to exit the Hotspot Options screen and click OK again to exit the Modify Hotspots screen.
  8. When prompted, enter a File name and save the file.
    1. On the Manage Hotspots screen, note the Currently selected file.
If the file is not the one you just saved, click Select another hotspots file. Click Custom, select the file you saved, and click OK.
    1. Click OK to exit the Manage Hotspots screen.
  1. Save the session document to preserve the hotspots file configuration.
  2. Test the hotspot.

In a VT terminal session document, type http:// and look for the highlighted box. Type a full URL, such as https://support.microfocus.com, and press the spacebar or Enter. (In this example, the hotspot will not activate until a space is detected.) Click the hotspot to open the web page.

In IBM 3270 and 5250 terminal session documents, hotspots are matched only in protected fields that the user cannot edit.

3270: As you type in a 3270 session document, the hotspot text will become active. After you type a full URL (followed by a space), click the hotspot to open the web page.

5250: In a 5250 session document, test the hotspot by sending a message that includes a URL. Follow these steps as you progress through the screens.

    1. From the Main Menu, enter 6 for Communications.
    2. Enter 2 for Messages.
    3. Enter 1 to Send a message.
    4. Enter message text such as, “See https://support.microfocus.com for more information.” Note: You must enter a space immediately after the URL; if a period or other character is present, the web page will not open correctly.
Enter a user name or profile to receive the message. Press Enter.
    1. On the Messages screen, enter 3 to Display messages.
    2. On the Display Messages screen, check that the user name or user profile is selected (underlined). Press Enter.
    3. The hotspot should be highlighted on the Work with Message screen. Click the hotspot to open the web page.

Troubleshooting

If the hotspot is not behaving as expected, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Manage Hotspots screen. (Another path: From the Quick Access toolbar, click the Document Settings button. Under Terminal Appearance, click Manage Hotspots.)
  2. Verify that the Currently Selected File is the one in which you saved the hotspot file. If not, click Select another hotspots file, and select the correct one.
  3. Click Modify the currently selected hotspots file.
  4. Select the Hotspot text, for example Main, in the Hotspot Mapper list. Click Modify and check the options you want to save. Click OK until you return to the Reflection workspace.
  5. Save the session document.
  6. Test the hotspot again to see if the web page opens.

Additional Information

Legacy KB ID

This document was originally published as Attachmate Technical Note 2381.